If you belong to LinkedIn Groups, you may have received notices that the group is now an open group.
What this means is the owner of the group decided to open discussions.
- Previous discussions are archived for member access only
- New discussions can be viewed by non-LinkedIn® members
- New discussions can be shared on Twitter and Facebook
- New group discussions are indexed by search engines
Let’s hope LinkedIn® open group managers are good managers.
Managing Options
Online visibility is the name of the game,and open groups offer that.
However, there is the danger of even more marketing spamming – unless the group manager controls it.
Here are the options for the group managers.
Non-LinkedIn® members:
- Are allowed to post comments
- Must submit discussions for approval
- Are required to submit both comments and discussions for approval
- Can submit comments for approvals but discussions are not allowed
- Are not allowed to make any contributions
If you are thinking about joining a group, and want to know whether or not it is an open group, look for a lock.
- If it has a lock before the group name, it is open only to members
- If there is no lock, it is an open group
Choose Wisely
The Open Group status became available in December 2010. Managers or owners decide whether or not they use the feature.
The success of the group relies a great deal on the owner or manager.
- One that is loosely managed invites marketing spamming
- One that is overly managed discourages participation
As a member, you decide what is important to you. If you like a smaller, niche-specific group, where you share information you would not like made public, look for non-open groups.
Personally, I am interested in the discussions. I left more than one group that appeared to be a platform for endless “free advertising.”
That is not my idea of networking.
That being said, I do embrace the open group – if the manager manages it. I also like the smaller niche group for members only.
It’s all about balance. Any social media platform that allows personal choice understands what is important.
How about you? What do you think about open groups?
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Great information Cathy. I have to admit that LinkedIn Groups is something I want to learn a lot more about. I know they can be very valuable but you gotta learn about it first to use it effectively, right!
Thanks, Danielle. Nice to have you back on our humble shores. 🙂
I am a big fan of LinkedIn, but recognize it’s not right for everyone. It works well in my niche. Let me know if I can answer any questions. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find out and then you’ll give me more themes for blog posts! 🙂
Thanks again for stopping by, Danielle.